Success, Failure, and Courage
by A.M. White
Summary: SIXTH CHAPTER: Anya becomes pregnant, and fears anyone knowing. After running to Tara to help her with this news will she be able to keep it hidden for long?
1. Nightmares

Success, Failure, and Courage 

"Dawn! You're going to be late!" Buffy cried from the kitchen yet again, getting breakfast ready, but this time the call wasn't all that true. The injured teen came downstairs ready to go and sat at the bar, glancing at the clock and scoffed.

"I thought I was running late!" She whined, beginning to eat anyway, Xander walking into the kitchen with a smile. The two best friends and adults in the room didn't have to say anything to convey they both had their own mess of problems to deal with, and everyone had to worry about Dawn. Buffy looked down and away, going to clean the dishes, the sudden urge to head for Spike's crypt in the misted of the day was crawling beneath her skin. Originally she had gone to him to feel alive...now she almost needed him to breathe, her body growing warmer and more excited to the cold comfort he brought her. She got the dishes in the sink and turned to take Dawn's discarded plate, looking at Xander.

"I'm guessing I don't have to tell you to be safe?" She asked, saying it more to assure herself. Xander nodded, made a comment about it was understood and left with Dawn, leaving the petite slayer alone in her house. Willow had gone to stay with her parents a few days, hoping that their total lack of magical anything could help her de-tox. So there Buffy was alone in her kitchen, her body aching for a certain neutered vampire's touch. She shivered, trying to remember a time when she didn't want him, hoping that would calm her body down.

It didn't work.

Buffy found herself grabbing her coat and heading outside, heading for the cemetery at a moderate rate. Her speed grew slightly the closer she got, the mosaleum calling to her every moment. She made it to the door and placed her hand to it, letting it caress the cold metal. Her scent had awakened Spike, brought him up from his bed from way across the sizable land that was the graveyard. He could feel Buffy's heat through the door, his hand going in place of hers on the opposite side. Buffy pressed her body to the door, wanting something, but knew truly giving in would be wrong, especially someone she didn't love. She had made that mistake before, giving into temptation, making a choice. But this, this...whatever it was called by resting against the door was nothing wrong, even if she closed her eyes and swore she could feel those cold fingertips brushing lightly against the crotch of her pants just as his hand brushed that area of the door, feeling the swell of warmth there, knowing how she must physically feel at this time. A soft moan escaped her lips as a low grunt came from him as the two of them rest there. Suddenly Spike thrust the door open, sure of the clouds that would be outside, but that was all that was there. The thick, grey, clouds...no slayer in sight.

* * *

Anya suddenly threw the little post-it notes in her hands across the table, pouting at the mess before she began crying, the stress getting to her. Planning the wedding was proving to be too much for her today. She held her head in her hands and suddenly felt two strong, loving hands beginning to rub her shoulders to help her relax. Anya closed her eyes, the tears still falling but Xander's comforting actions were greatly helping.

"Thank you Xander," she breathed, her voice hitching from the sobs that still shook her slightly. He leaned down to kiss her as if to say she was welcome. She sighed and looked back at all of the work, "It's so much...at times I wish I could just say 'screw it. Screw this big wedding and let's get eloped'!" Xander kissed her neck and rested his chin on her shoulder.

"Is that what you want Ahn? To get eloped?" Xander's voice conveyed neither choice, only that he wanted his fiancée happy. Anya shrugged and wiped her eyes, leaning against Xander's strong chest.

"All I know is that this hurts...all this deciding, even with help, it hurts..." she looked it over "But my dress...all the money, all the time..." she sighed heavily.

* * *

Lying in the bed, shivering, sweating, and trying her best to stay away from magic, and be strong to get Tara back. This was one of those days where bad didn't even begin to form the atomic structure of how she felt. Willow was crying, closing her eyes tight before she felt a hand brush across her cheek, she opened her eyes to see Oz seated beside her, watching her. Willow began to protest, but Oz stopped him, making her stay quiet, leaning down to kiss her softly. When Willow laid back to she the other she was clinging to, it now was Tara, watching Willow with loving eyes, touching her cheek again.

"Success is never final, Failure is never fatal, it's only Courage that counts," Tara breathes before Willow sat upright suddenly gasping in the middle of the night, unaware of the fact that both Buffy and Xander have done the exact same thing in each their respective beds for the night, both Spike and Anya fast asleep, the memories of Oz and Tara lingering in the room around the distraught wicca.

(**Author's Notes: **_This is the beginnings of an experimental fanfic idea I came up with after reading the story Setting up House by Sandy S. Thanks for a wonderful story, it inspired this...a crazy look into my interpretation of the relationships of the scoobies...I know this is neither a chapter nor a complete story, just a beginning so then I know which one to continue with. If I do all three, one chapter will be devoted completely to a couple. Please review or e-mail me at to inform me of which story line you really enjoy the most_.)


	2. Give up Forever

Success, Failure, and Courage: Give Up Forever 

"That was an evil trick you played slayer," the calm, British voice crooned from behind Buffy on her front porch, causing her to go stiff. She hated when he did this; called her out, made her feel worse than she did so she would succumb into bedding with him, "Walking up to my door, but not even daring to knock." His lips were practically touching the back of her neck, causing a shiver to slide down her spine. She turned to him and glared at him straight in the eye.

"Spike...I can't do this...not tonight...please, just this time will you go ho-"Buffy was cut off by the front door opening and Dawn peering from the opening.

"Spike? What's Spike doing here Buffy?" she got this look like she had a crazy idea, "Is he staying? I mean you were the one who said the previous social worker thought he lived here, and she may have put it in the report...you might need him to like you know...be here?" Dawn's voice had that 'do as I say or else I'll scream bloody murder' tone in it, and Buffy wasn't in the mood to risk it. She just turned to the door, walking in and held it open, Dawn moving out of the way as Spike came in, looking at Buffy for some sort of answer.

"Dawn, can you go into the living room so Spike and I can talk?" Buffy asked softly, Dawn about to argue, but Spike simply glanced at her and she retreated to the other room. Buffy opened her mouth to speak, but Spike took a hold of her arm lightly to guide her up the stairs. He stopped at the landing with her and placed her hands on her hips, looking down.

"If we're gonna do this, we have to do it right pet...buy things that makes it looks like a man live here with the women folk...been seen in public together..." he paused and looked her in the eye, "Say we're a couple." Buffy looked as if she could have chewed Spike out for years about this, and knowing this caused Spike to get that little smirk he gets when he knows he's won. Buffy sighed in defeat.

"Fine, but there will be rules about this whole thing." Buffy said softly, crossing her arms.

Spike scoffed at the very idea, "_Rules? _Pet, surely you know that any true relationship can't survive with rules." He placed his hands on her hips, causing Buffy to try and pull away. Spike's grip tightened and Buffy gasped softly, wanting to give in and let him have his way with her, but Dawn was downstairs and each time she gave in she felt all the more dead later on. She didn't try to push away, just kept on with her argument, no matter how hard it was.

"Yes, rules Spike. Like no sex while Dawn is in the house-"

"Now that's a bit too harsh and you know it love."

"Fine, no sex while Dawn is awake or on the same floor as us in the house."

"Agreed," Spike said, pulling Buffy closer, "What's the next piece of business we need to handle?"

"Your blood gets kept in the basement in the fridge we have down there," Spike gave her a look that it wasn't fair, "You want to explain to the nice social worker you're a vampire, go right ahead Spike." He fell silent as she continued.

"This whole us living together thing, stays within the house between the three of us. Willow if I feel she needs to know, but right now she's doing good to walk from her room to the kitchen without some lapse of some sort."

"Understood, it's a 'Buffy tells only' secret, I get it"

Buffy rolled her eyes, "Now that we're on the same page..." she looked down the stairs and then at her watch. She got out of Spike's grasp to Dawn, asking her if she wanted to stay at a friend's house, Dawn soon escaping the confines of the Summers' home to get there. Buffy made her way back upstairs to Spike, looking down for a moment. He lifted her chin carefully and she kissed him suddenly, dragging him into her bedroom.

---

Buffy lay there well after the deed had been done, thinking over everything that had to be bought and frowned at some of the necessary items. She kept quiet; lightly playing with the bleach curl within her grasp since Spike's head rest where he had put it before she got the sheet at the exact place she had wanted it. Each intake of breath she took, his head moved up, exhale it moved back down. She kept silent, admiring his beauty before shaking her head, remembering the monster that also lie on her bosom. The dangerous killer who would love to be out on the full fledged kill if he could be. She sighed softly and leaned her head to the side and remembered the soft words he sang to her.

_I'd give up forever to touch you, because I know that you feel me somehow._

Damn right Spike would give up forever, once he was in love, he never let you go. That seemed comforting and scary at the same time for Buffy as he had begun to serenade her, and even before then, as he had slipped his hand beneath her shirt, retrieving her bra.

_You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be And I don't want to go home right now_

Wasn't that the way Buffy was feeling right about now? Spike had been the closest thing for her recently... He had continued on with the song the further and further they had gone, the words ending before the activities, but that didn't mean they didn't linger between each thrust and moan that came from the couple. It was almost convincing for Buffy. To give up forever, to give into his eyes, his words, his touch, even if it was barbaric and wrong...it didn't feel wrong during it, and as long as they kept on, shouldn't everything be fine?

---

"Why did Dawn have to come on this trip again?" Buffy asked, looking up at Spike as she pushed the cart, Spike staying at her side, getting various toiletries to make it appear that he lived in the house with them. Spike looked down at her, stopping.

"Because we have to make it seem as if we're a big happy family just in case we're being watched before hand" He replied just as Dawn came, arms full of various groceries Buffy had sent her to get and then disappeared again, obviously to get anything she forgot. Buffy sighed and pushed the basket further, turning the corner and stopped in front of the condoms. Spike looked at Buffy and raised a brow.

"I'm dead Buffy, we don't exactly need to be worried about an acciden-ow!" Buffy had poked Spike hard in the stomach to get him to shut up.

"The social worker doesn't know that and we need to make it appear we're teaching Dawn to be responsible"

"By what? Having sex in the house and her _knowing_?" Buffy hit his arm with the back of her hand.

"You know what I mean Spike, we have to make it seem like you're fertile, even if you obviously _aren't_," she turned and looked at them, "Now hurry and choose so I can escape this aisle before someone sees me." Spike smirked, looking everything over.

"You can't just grab one and go pet, there's so much to choose from like ribbed or lubricated or-"Buffy got fed up and grabbed the nearest box and threw it in the basket, pushing it quickly to get away from Spike and the aisle. Spike stopped her and picked up the box, reading it over, "Warm sensations...hmm, not hot and steamy enough for you pet?" he asked playfully, avoiding her next attack by slipping them under the other things in the basket. Dawn adding the rest of the things "Okay, I'm ready to go, you two should be too." Buffy was relieved he had done so, nodding and headed for the checkout, Spike taking Dawn out to the car to let Buffy pay on her own.

((**Author's Notes:** _Yes, the first whole chapter. Yes it was based on Buffy and Spike, I plan to go in order, not making promises, but I'm going to try. So yes, there it is...please review it and tell me what you think. The lyrics I used are from the song Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls._ ))


	3. All I Need

Success, Failure, and Courage: All I Need 

Anya had been stressing about the wedding almost day in and day out, always trying to work things out, getting frustrated, threaten to get eloped before calming down and starting the cycle over again until she and Xander went to bed. This practice went on for days, weeks, almost months. That is, until Xander got fed up with Anya crying, and no matter how much he tried to take over, she wouldn't let him get more than she already had said he would get. After one of her mini breakdowns he kneeled in front of her.

"You can't keep doing this Ahn, this up and down roller coaster, it isn't healthy." He said softly, wiping her eyes, knowing the next thing she was going to say, already hearing her forming the words _"it's you're fault, you're the one you proposed to me, you knew what this would include." _But she didn't say that, not even close, she just began crying harder and leaned into Xander's arms, his warm embrace, sobbing, letting everything go. He held her there, playing with her hair before suddenly getting an idea.

"I...was going to wait until the wedding night, but I think you need it now," He said softly, standing up with her, prepared to carry her to the bedroom. She looked at him, wiping her eyes, confusion in her eyes. He led her to their room, seating her on the edge of the bed. He kissed her softly, pulling away to make her follow him. She grasped his shirt, kissing him hungrily, wanting whatever he was about to give her as soon as he could give it to her, knowing it must be something he felt was special. His hands slipped beneath her skirt, retrieving the small garment she was wearing underneath and pulled them down, placing her panties on the floor next to him. Anya smiled at Xander between kisses, reaching down to undo his pants. Her smile faded when he took her hands and placed them on the bed. Xander shook his head, kissing her neck and slowly unbuttoned her shirt, sucking on the soft flesh, listening to Anya moan and felt her arch slightly beneath his hand as he pushed the shirt off of her shoulder, making sure as his hand moved upward it brushed her breast, causing a gasp and a further arch of her back.

The shirt fell behind Anya on the bed, and was soon joined by her bra. Xander kissed the spot between her breasts lightly, a hand cupping one her breasts, his thumb drawing small circles around her nipple. His kisses traveled lower, down her abdomen slowly, lightly. His hands then went to the hem of her skirt as he centered himself between her legs. Xander pushed Anya's skirt up with great care, his soft touch already sending her to heavier breathing. Once the material was at her hips, Xander leaned down, kissing Anya's inner thigh, causing her to moan breathlessly. His kisses moved closer to her labia until he finally stopped, taking her clitoris into his mouth, sucking on the small, swollen nub. Anya's loud moan didn't startle Xander; in fact it motivated him. He continued the sucking, flicking his tongue within her every so often, causing Anya to moan and wiggle beneath him, until she arched her back and was close to screaming, hitting orgasm suddenly.

---

Of course it didn't end there. Sex had followed, and now Anya was curled up to Xander, sound asleep as he laid there, thinking everything over. Each time Anya brought up eloping the more he wanted to do it, to just get it over with, but he knew his parents would freak, scream at him for wasting all of that money on nothing. He didn't want to hear his father yelling and smelling the alcohol on his breath, he had lived 21 years of that already. He was marrying Anya to start his own family, to break away from the Harris clan and start his own, a better one, without parental fights and booze. He had sworn to himself he would never be like his father, but how could he help it, he had to be careful, alcoholism was genetic. He laid there, praying for the strength to make it though, to be strong, that he could be as strong as Buffy was, even after everything that had happened. To be strong for Anya forever.

---

_That may be all I need_

Just being there for Anya, to be with her.

_In darkness she is all I see_

No matter what, Anya was his goal, to love her, to protect her, to make her happy.

..._I never want to leave_

Marriage would make that wish a reality.

---

(**Author's Notes**: _This is the next installment of the story, yes with Anya and Xander. Bear with me this is my first time writing and Anya/Xander fan fic, so please excuse it if it's not up to scratch to some of your opinions. Please review or e-mail me at __ to inform me how I can better it, if it needs fixing. The lyrics are from the song Sunday Morning by Maroon 5)_


	4. Never was never will be

**Success, Failure, and Courage: Never was; never will be**

Stepping into the house slowly, admiring the soft quiet of everything was the red headed Wicca. She headed up the stairs in silence, knowing Buffy was probably out patrolling, but Dawn may be asleep. She made it past Buffy's room until something caught her attention. The door was cracked, and from what she could see, Spike's black leather duster was on the floor, along with his boots. She kept walking and shook her head; no way Spike was there. She would ask in the morning.

Willow slipped into her room, letting the door shut behind her as she closed her eyes.

_Never was and never will be_

Her clothes fell onto the floor as she stripped them off, her bed seeming to call to her.

_You're not real and you can't save me_

As Red climbed into the soft blankets, she closed her eyes, ridding her self of any memory of the pain as sleep took over her body.

_And somehow now you're everybody's fool_

Nightmares and dreaded thoughts of the day ahead suddenly awoke the Wicca from her violent sleep. She sat up, gasping for air, her fingertips brushing against her throat as she got a better grip of things. From what she could hear, Dawn was getting ready to leave the house and Buffy was ushering her along.

Willow climbed out of bed and got her robe, making her trek to the bathroom and locked the door behind her. She dropped the robe and went to the tub, starting up the water, letting it warm up. She opened up the cabinet, reaching for the bubble bath, and shut the cabinet door. That was before she flung it open to make sure she saw correctly. Assorted men's toiletries were mixed with the female things. Again Willow just shook her head and disregarded it, pouring in the bubble bath mix, slipping into the smelly relaxing water.

Why was everything hinting to the fact that Spike was living there? Had he moved in for the sake of the social worker situation, and Buffy didn't tell her because of all the craziness? It didn't make sense...

(**Author's Notes:** _Damn, what is it with me and the crappy chapters? At least it's up, right? Please give me some hints on what to do with this and I'll fix it for the better good, thanks_. _Lyrics from Everybody's Fool by Evanescence_)


	5. Easier to Run

**_Success, Failure, and Courage: Easier to Run_**

Buffy spent most of the next Saturday explaining to Willow the situation, once it was all figured out, it seemed quite funny, or at least to Willow and the false face Buffy was putting on. It had been a few weeks now, and the Social Worker was due any day now. Buffy lay in the bathtub, thinking she was alone that evening, with Spike and Willow patrolling, and Dawn over at Janice's house. She closed her eyes, desperately wanting the feeling of wanting to die away, wanting to be able to live. Yes, she had the will to keep herself alive, it didn't mean she was ready to let go of her security blanket or security vampire rather. God, even if Spike was just for the convenience, her fantasies of Angel and Riley had faded into Spike. Wanting Spike, needing Spike, moaning his name because it was really the name she wanted to actually moan. Buffy was growing frustrated with herself. She was using him, she knew it. But sharing a bed with him, seeing him as he slept, watching him as he did simple, around the house things...she was starting to have feelings for him. Love was too strong, love required trust, and she didn't trust him...yet, not completely anyway. If anyone other than Dawn knew...she could kiss her friends goodbye. Spike didn't have a soul...but then again with everything he had been doing...the soul seemed to just be something to prove he could do it. She relaxed further into the warm water until the bathroom door opened slowly. She turned her head towards the door and pushed the shower curtain aside to see Spike standing there.

"It's called knocking Spike, I don't care if we're pretending to be a family it's common curtis-"

"I did" he replied, "And you said come in." Buffy had totally spaced and then remembered she had mumbled the words. She sunk down into the water, the edge touching her chin. She closed her eyes and she rubbed the bridge of her nose.

"I thought you were patrolling, you know, helping me out?" She asked, trying to sound annoyed, but it failed, she just sounded weak and tired. Spike took this as a hint and went to the side of the tub.

"Sit up pet, I'll give you a massage" he said softly. Buffy almost protested, but sat up anyway. His cool hands felt good against her warmed skin as he began rubbing her neck and back, a soft, unrestrained moan escaping her lips. He continued this for a moment before she looked back at him and turned so she could face him better.

"I don't want the massage...I want you" she whispered, leaning up to kiss him, reaching down to pull his shirt up. He quickly did the task for her, along with removing his boots and pants, watching Buffy, waiting for her command. She stood, letting him gaze at her wet, naked body, watching as his mind worked and as he got up slowly, slipping into the bath tub and watched as she lowered herself onto him, slowly letting him enter her. Her hips rose and fell slowly at first, gaining speed as the need grew stronger. Her panting was met with his soft words and groans as he raised his hips with hers; bath water splashing out the more vigorous the movements became until Buffy and Spike reached paralleled orgasm.

_It's easier to run, replacing this pain with something more_

Buffy walked slowly up the stairs to her room after talking with Tara. Spike was out somewhere, drinking probably. The Social Worker had come earlier in the day and said everything was ship shape. Buffy wasn't so sure and was letting Spike stay five more days. Tara had said that was a good length to let both Dawn and Spike know it was over, that things went back to normal and that Spike had to go back to his crypt. It looked good on paper, Buffy thought as she undressed in her room slowly, preparing for her warm, soft bed. The day had been too long and hard for the slayer and she slipped into the sheets, closing her eyes, preparing her speech.

_Sometimes I think of letting go, and never looking back._

Buffy was pacing in her bedroom while Spike and Dawn were downstairs, preparing the speech in her head, making sure it sounded good, voicing a few points to make them stronger. This was going to be hard. The past few weeks had made her realized Spike wasn't the monster he appeared, and or wanted to appear to be. He was tough as nails, but gave much to easily to softer emotions, and indulging in such pleasures that usually were given to those with a soul. But Spike seemed to be such an exception. At times she wondered if he in fact had his soul the whole time, but then he'd do something stupid and he'd prove he was a soulless fiend. Buffy headed down the stairs quickly and looked at Dawn and Spike.

"We need to talk..."

_And never moving forward, so there will never be a past_

Even with Spike out of the house, Buffy had still slept with Spike, kept it up until now as she walked to the cemetery, preparing to tell him it was all over, wanting him to know for sure, this was it, she couldn't go on with it.

_These memories I keep locked away, no one can ever see_

As Buffy walked away all she could think of is the hurt in Spike's eyes, and yet the relief she felt. In the pit of her stomach she felt a little guilt to break his heart, but she knew he would be okay if she was, right? The argument had been long and loud, but she hadn't allowed him to sucker her in, she kept her defenses up, didn't let him in. She sighed softly, and once she got into the safety of her room, began crying deeply into the pillows, sobbing audibly.

_It's easier to run, replacing this pain with something more._

(**Author's Notes:** _Wow, look what some time off does to a girl? I wrote a super long chapter, but Buffy and Spike are familiar territory for me_._ I'll try my best to do the same for the others, and I have a feeling once I get to Chosen, you will all be so madly in love with this story...and I don't just mean the Buffy/Spike chapters_)


	6. Foolish Games

**Success, Failure, and Courage: Foolish Games**

"C'mon…c'mon, hurry up" Anya softly urged to the plastic stick known as a home pregnancy test. So close to the wedding, she needed to know, and she didn't need any controversy, like her dress not fitting. She watched it carefully and suddenly grabbed the box, reviewing what two lines meant. Both the test and the box fell from her hands and made a loud clack as she began to cry. She was pregnant, like she had feared. Anya didn't know what she was going to do now.

Tara was surprised to see the blonde on her doorstep, especially with the expression that she was carrying. Tara didn't ask questions, she let Anya in, leading her to the living room.

"I need a spell, and you were the only person that I know will do it for me," Anya quickly began, "I'm pregnant, and I need a spell to prolong and hide it indefinantly. I know it can be done, I have all the ingredients and the spell itself, I just need a witch who can perform it, and seeing as Willow isn't in the active mode at the moment…" Anya was pacing rapidly, talking fast, fearing slowing down would mean an actual conversation and she knew that lead to tears, and at the moment she didn't feel human enough for tears. Tara watched her for a moment before speaking up.

"Maybe you should just show me the spell and ingredients and we'll work on it together, alright Anya? Can you d-do that for me?" She asked, her tone carrying that motherly tone that hadn't been heard really from anyone since Joyce had died. Anya nodded and went into her purse, removing the large book and the various ingredients, setting them on the desk and opened the book to the correct page, showing it to Tara.

"Well?" Anya pushed, "Can you do it?"

"I'll try"

* * *

Xander walked into the apartment slowly, never knowing what Anya was doing and not wanting to shock her like he had on a few occasions, not that what he found wasn't pleasing, just he knew how she felt about certain things (like sex and counting money). He shut the door and noticed the silence, frowning ever so slightly. 

"Ahn, sweetie, I'm home!" he called, setting his things down and walked into the living room, seeing a note on the coffee table. He opened it quickly, reading the instruction and headed for the bedroom, curiosity on his face as he opened the door. His look of curiosity turned to a huge grin when he saw Anya lying on the bed spread eagle with not a stitch of clothing on. The only thing on her body was the thin necklace that hung around her neck and the oval red stone that lay just above her heart. He watched her breathe and felt his attraction to her grow more, his hormones giving him more reasons to love her than he already did.

"I…wow, Anya…just…whoa" he managed softly as he began to unbutton his shirt, as if to cool off. Anya sat up slightly, looking deeply into Xander's lust ridden eyes, a small smile on her face as she tilted her head to the side, watching him as if she were his puppy, or sex poodle. If only she could play with his hair, make it messy, make it hers.

_You were always the mysterious one with dark eyes and careless hair_

Xander made his way to the bed, getting his shirt off his shoulders and crawled over Anya, kissing her passionately as she reached for his belt, undoing it for him. Xander's soft moans in the kiss made Anya fumble along more as she tried to be of help as Xander shimmied his pants off his hips and kicked them off of his calves.

_You were fashionably sensitive, but too cool to care_

Xander's kissed moved along Anya's jawline and neck before he noticed the necklace, picking the chain up lightly. Anya's heart skipped a beat as he touched it, but she wanted Xander too bad to really care.

"When did you get this baby?" He asked seductively, his other hand trailing up her inner thigh, lightly reminding her of other times they had been intimate.

"Oh you know." Anya cooed, giving a coy smile, "In between wanting your body and needing it." She leaned up to kiss him to get him to shut up, wrapping a leg around his waist to urge him to take advantage of her naked body. He quickly complied, thrusting into her, holding her close, kissing her, whispering soft nothings until he could no longer.

Now it was Anya's turn to lay there wide-awake. She was curled up to Xander, rubbing his arm lightly as she thought things over. She sighed softly, thinking of the fact that in a way the three of them were all in bed, Mother, Father, and child. It was scary, thinking of how Xander may react to the situation, how happy, or upset he may be at the wedding once it was final and she told him what the necklace really was. She prayed there wouldn't be harsh misunderstanding. She sighed softly and closed her eyes, trying to sleep.

_You took off your coat and stood in the rain, you were always crazy like that._

(**Author's Notes**: _Wow, what a chapter huh? Did it shock you? Is it almost a Whedon-esque piece of art? I shouldn't even attempt to compare myself to Joss Whedon, he is SUCH a better writer than I am. Um, I used Jewel's "Foolish Games" for this chapter and last Chapter I used "Easier to Run" by Linkin Park. I totally forgot to include that before so I had to add it here. Oh! Also my friend Tawnie, without her help certain aspects of this chapter could have been soooo different_. _**UPDATE**_: This chapter was done at THANKSGIVING, but various technical difficulties have lead to it just now coming along to this site. I'm very proud of it, I read it over, and just...whoa. Great plot twist and development...I sometimes surprise myself....)


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